A massive winter storm is wreaking havoc across the U.S. South, stretching from Texas to Alabama, as snowfall and icy conditions threaten to paralyze daily life. Beginning Thursday morning, sleet and heavy snow blanketed parts of north Texas and Oklahoma, leading to more than 1 million students being kept home as schools across the region canceled classes. In areas like Kansas City and Arkansas, similar closures kept students safe from the hazardous conditions.
Hundreds of flights were grounded at major airports, with more than 3,100 delays and over 2,100 cancellations reported nationally by early Thursday. Roads across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas have turned slushy and slick, prompting warnings from local authorities for drivers to stay off the roads. Charles Daniel, a truck driver in south-central Oklahoma, described conditions as particularly dangerous, saying, “People do not need to be driving.”
In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott deployed emergency crews in advance, urging residents to avoid travel where possible. Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders mobilized 140 National Guardsmen to assist State Police with rescuing stranded motorists. Crews have been treating roadways in preparation for potentially severe snowfall, with up to 7 inches expected in parts of those states.
The storm’s reach is expected to extend northeastward by Friday, impacting states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Governors in both Georgia and Tennessee declared states of emergency, preparing for heavy snowfalls and freezing rain that could threaten power outages. In metro Atlanta, residents are bracing for treacherous road conditions, with up to 8 inches of snow expected.
Richmond, Virginia, is facing its own challenge with a boil-water advisory in effect after a power outage led to water reservoir system malfunctions. Residents are struggling to find clean water, with bottled water being distributed at multiple sites across the city.
This winter storm is part of a growing pattern where extreme weather events—like this polar vortex—are becoming more frequent. Some experts point to the warming world paradoxically contributing to colder weather systems pushing further south.
